Dr. Yang's research is in the areas of engineering mechanics and structural engineering. He is specifically interested in structural control, stochastic structural dynamics, system identification and damage detection, health monitoring system, and earthquake engineering.

Dr. Yang's current research is focused on ( i ) innovative signal analysis techniques for system identification and damage detection of civil engineering structures as well as health monitoring systems, and ( ii ) applications of different types of control systems to civil engineering structures for the reduction of the dynamic response due to strong winds, earthquakes, micro-vibration, and others.